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Parker Higgins

Parker Higgins is an activist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, specializing in issues at the intersection of freedom of speech and copyright, trademark, and patent law. He previously lived and worked in Berlin, Germany.

Parker studied at the Gallatin School of Individualized Study at New York University, where he developed a concentration of "Creativity, Freedom of Speech, and Intellectual Property." While at NYU, he served on the board of the global Students for Free Culture organization and as the president of its NYU chapter.

As the year draws to a close, EFF looks back at the major trends influencing digital rights in 2012 and discussing where we are in the fight for free expression, innovation, fair use, and privacy. Click here to read other blog posts in this series.

EFF has been calling since July for the immediate release of open source software engineer and Creative Commons volunteer Bassel Khartabil, detained in Syria since March of this year. Many other groups and thousands of individuals have professed support for Bassel, expressing deep concerns to the Syrian authorities and signing onto a letter of support.

It shouldn't be controversial to demand evidence-based policies in the copyright space. But over and over, Congress has failed to engage in an informed discussion over which copyright policies advance the public interest, and which ones cause harm.

Next Wednesday, November 7, author Rob Reid will be joining EFF in San Francisco for a special Geek Reading of his debut novel, Year Zero. Here's our review of the book — if you haven't read it yet, pick up a copy.

­The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments today in a case called Kirtsaeng v. Wiley, and their final decision could help shape the future of "first sale," a legal doctrine that underpins the right to sell, lend, or give away the things you buy, even if those things contain copyrighted elements.

Today marks Ada Lovelace Day, when members of the tech community celebrate the role that women have played in technology. But of course, it’s not enough to do that just once a year. For the past 20 years, as we've honored leaders in our community with our annual EFF Pioneer Awards—prominent technologists, advocates for freedom of expression, and innovators of all stripes—we’ve also had the privilege of recognizing the talented and dedicated women who have pushed our community forward.